Segal soars on the slopes
AUSTRALIAN skiing sensation Natalie Segal has had a huge 12 months on the slopes, and talks to Ashley Shenker about her rise to fame as one of the best Jewish skiers in the world alongside her older sister Anna.
AUSTRALIAN skiing sensation Natalie Segal has had a huge 12 months on the slopes, and talks to Ashley Shenker about her rise to fame as one of the best Jewish skiers in the world alongside her older sister Anna.
You had great success at the World Heli Challenge in New Zealand recently. What did you make of that tournament?
The World Heli Challenge was an amazing event to be a part of. It is less about winning and more about the experience.
You spend two days in helicopters, flying over some of the most spectacular mountains in the world.
I was lucky enough to take out first in both the Freestyle and Extreme Day, as well as the Women’s Overall Ski award.
You also came third at the Freeskiing World Tour Championships earlier in the year after winning the qualifiers. Did that result give you great confidence heading into 2012?
Taking out third place at the Freeskiing World Tour Championships was a huge achievement for me.
It was my first podium on the Freeskiing World Tour and a big confidence boost for my competitive skiing.
How has your career progressed since you started?
Competitive big mountain skiing is all about experience, so it has taken me over three to four years of competing to achieve the results I have.
My skiing ability and technique [have] progressed dramatically, and over time so did my results. I have now qualified onto the professional tour for 2013, a goal I have had since I began big mountain skiing.
You started skiing at only two years old – was that your family’s influence?
Definitely, both my mum and dad skied when I was a kid. They introduced [Anna and I] to snow really young and we all became addicted.
Anna, being the eldest, led the way into racing, moguls and then freestyle and she continues to inspire my
skiing.
What was it initially that sparked your interest in skiing competitively?
I think I was just following my older sister when she started downhill racing. I love to push my limits and, as I have been skiing for so long, doing it in the mountains only seems natural.
I almost feel that I am more coordinated on skis than on foot sometimes.
People must say to you, “You’re crazy.” What do you reply?
Yeah, they do. But in all honesty, I think that the idea of being crazy is relative to your experience.
I am terrified of many things – including flying in planes and bungee jumping. But because I have spent so much time on skis, I feel that I know how to control them.
All the risks I take in and out of competition are calculated.
At 24 you’ve achieved so much. What goals have you set yourself?
I try and set my goals small so that they are realistic and more achievable.
For the upcoming winter I want to stay healthy, land all of my runs on the Freeride World Tour and have a great time while doing it.
What’s your next major event?
The next event is in New Zealand, [which] is one in a series of Freeride World Qualifiers that take place over the southern hemisphere winter.
It is my fourth competition in the last month-and-a-half, so I am looking forward to coming back to Melbourne for some down time.
comments